Vending-machine.



E. (J. ANGBLL.

\ VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED man a. 1011. msmwnn mm. 12, 1912. 1,050,594.

00 M L an 4H 14 N 3 Tum m n w a P Edward 67.12 51 3137115 GUM/e1 E. O. ANGELL.

wmmnemmmmfi APPLIOATIbN FILED JUNE5,1911. RENEWED JUNE 13, 1912. j3 @5@,59 Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

. "1 Edward 033$? vented new and useful Improvements in improved means ejected from a package container or carrieiz.

nnirnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

EDWARIi C. ANGELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'I'O EDWARD C. ANGELL AND MAX BRILL, BOTH 0E NEW YORK, N. Y.

' VENDING-MACHINE.

ioaosoa.

Specification'of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 5, 1911, Serial No. 631,417.

To at! whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. -ANGELL, a citizen of the United the borough of ll lanhattan, in the city, county, and State of New York, have in- Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vending machines, and particularly to that class of apparatus for vending small packages or articles. such as gum, chocolate, and the like, in which a coin is inserted in a slot and by the operation of a lever an article is ejected from the machine, and it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of this character that is cheap and compact in construction and which may be readily secured in any suitable place, as a wall or bracket conveniently located on counters in the usual manner, and is particularly adapted to be secured to the backs of opera chairs to take up a minimum amount of space.

.ltis the principal object of the invention to provide a vending apparatus in which the coin is utilized to form a partof the mechanism to eject the article from the apparatus, the coin forming a part of the operating mechanism, the coin being released after the ejection of the article and the apparatus again being ineffective until another coin is inserted.

Further objects of the invention relate to to close the opening through which the articles are ejected to prevent the fraudulent removal of the articles or tampering with the apparatus, and to improved means to automatically close the coin slot to prevent the insertion of a coin after all of the packages have been A still further object of the invention relates to improved means of constructing the casing comprising a back plate and an intermediate plate carrying the different mechanism of the apparatus, the said back and intermediate plates being secured in place by means of screws or the like from the States, residing in interior of the casing, a releasable cover forming the front, sides, top and bottom of t the casing, which may be readily removed scribed. An intermediate to refill the package carriers or purpose.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 s perspective view of myimproved vendmg apparatus, the cover or front being partly broken away to illustrate the interior of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation to illustrate the ejecting mecha nism, the coin being in position to eject a package. Fig. 3 is a sectional fragmentary front elevation to illustrate. the package ejecting mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a portion of the casing sections to illustrate the manner of releasably securing them together. Fig. 5 is a detail, partly in section, to illustrate the construction of the side edges of the back plate whereby. the cover or front is releasably held in place. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the mechanism to automatically close the coin slot when all of the packages or articles have been ejected from the package carrier; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the coin chute. Fig. 8 is a sectional side elevation illustrating a modification of ejector'and shutter operating mechanisi Fig. 9 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly broken away, to illustratethe mechanism shown in Fig. 8.

any other Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coin chute and package carrier to illustrate the manner of unlocking the shutter mechanism by means of the coin. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view, partly in sec tion, ofthe shutter actuating and locking mechanism; and Fig. 12 is a sectional detail view to show the manner of mounting the shutter-locking mechanism.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustratd in the drawings I have shown the mechanism inclosed in a casing comprising a plate 8 constituting the hack provided with hooked or substantially!!- shaped flanges 9 at the side edges having slots 10 for a purpose to be'hereinafter deplate 11, carrying of the apparatus, removably secured the different mechanism and the back plate 8 are ofthe casing;

. connected to the back plate 8, and for this .package ejecting mechanism. As

purpose is provided with hooks 17 (Fig. 4) which pass through the slots 10 and engage back of the flanges 9 of the back plate and retained in such position by the tumbler of an ordinary lock 18 engaging under a for- Wardly extending projection 19 on the plate 8.

The package carriers or containers are connected to the intermediate plate 11 and comprise thev side walls 20 bent up at right angles at the bottom, as at 21, and whereby the packages or articles (designated in a general way by. A) to be vended are supported in superposed piles at the ends. The forward edges of the walls 20 are bent up at right angles, as at 22, whereby the pack ages are maintained in position in the containers, the said bent up portions 22 being cut away at the bottom to permit ofth passage of a package as it is ejected. The coin chutes 23 are also connected to the intermediate plate 11 at the back thereof'in line with the coin slots 15 in the cover and consist of a piece of sheet metal bent up to form hook-shaped flanges at the sides and whereby they are secured to the plate 11, the said edges being .also provided with ears 2 1, 24: for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The ejector mechanism comprises a rocker shaft 25 journaled in lugs secured to the back plate 8, one end of the shaftprojecting out through a slot in the cover and provided with a handle or lever 27 outside of the easing. Sleeves 28'are mounted upon the shaft 25 directly under the coin chutes and package containers and are provided with ears or lugs 29 and fingers 30, the fingers adapted to pass through slots 33 in the lower end of the coin chutes. As already stated the deposited coin is utilized to form a pa t of the the coin 32 is inserted in the slot 15 it passes down the chute 23 andfalls upon the sleeve 28 be tween the ears 29 and fingers 30 where it is seated, the top of the coin being in position to engage in back of the lowermost package in the pile A, the fingers 30 engaging in back of the coin substantially midway thereof, as clearly shown in Figs. 1., 2 and 3. A forward pull is now applied to the lever 27 and the bottom package will be pushed from beneath the pile and out through the opening 1(3 111 the front of the cover, the coin after the package has been ejected dropping to the bottom of the casing, when the rocker shaft is returned to position for the reception of another coin by a spring 31.

To prevent. the fraudulent removal of the packages or tampering with the apparatus through the ejector slot 16 I provide a shutter 3'11 normally engaging in back of the ejector slot, as shown at the right of Fig. 1. This shutter consists of a piece of sheet metal with the ends bent up and whereby itis pivotally supported upon the siuewalls of package container, as at 35. Theshutter is thrown up away from the ejector slot 16 by the coin engaging with a cradle 36 pivotally connected to the cradle, as at 37, as the coin falls to position upon its seat on the sleeve 28, as clearly shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The cradle is also provided with the forwardly projecting guides 38 to guide the coin during its forward movement and prevent lateral movement thereof.

To prevent the ejector mechanism being partly operated so'that a package will be partly ejected and then withdrawn, the ejector mechanism being returned to initial position and a second package ejected with the same coin, I provide means whereby the lever must be pulled to its full forward position before it can be returned to initial position. For this purpose I provide a pawl 39 pivotallycarried by a lug on the sleeve 28 and caused by a spring 40 to engage with serrations or teeth in a latch or lever 41 pivotally carriedby the side wall 20 of the package container. (Fig. 2.) As the shutter 34 is swung up away from the ejector slot 16 by the coin engaging with the cradie 36, a pin 4.2 on said shutter engaging in a slotin the latch 41 will cause it to bear against the'pawl 39 so that the latter engages with the first notch or tooth in said latch, as shown in Fig. 2. As the lever 27 is pulled forward and the package is being ejected the pawl will ride over the latch notches and prevent the return-movement of the lever, a pallet 13 adapted to engage with the shaft 25 preventing the forward throw of the pawl. However, as the package is ejected.

and the coin drops into the casing, and the shutter returns to normal position, the engagement of the pin 42 in the latch slot will throw the latch away from the pawl and permit the return of the lever by its spring.

To prevent the insertion of a eoin'after all of the packages have been ejected from the container, I provide a rocker plate 44: having a flange 45 adapted to engage under the coin slot 15, said rocker plate pivotall supported by a bar 46 in the chute-ears 24- Asccond rocker plate 4:7 is pivotally supported upon a bar 48 in the chute-ears 24., the upper end of which plate 17 engages in slots in a pair of cars 19 on the rocker plate M. The lower end of the plate 47 is provided with a pair of fingers 50 which are adapted to engage with the lowermost package in the pile A, thereby maintaining the piate in such position that it will rock the will be in the position indicated in Fig. 2. However, asthe lust package is ejected, the plate 47 balanced that the fingers will move forward thereby rocking the plate 44 so that the Henge t? will engage beneath the coin slot.

While I have shown the apparatus in the present instance as provided with three package containers or carriers. and the shaftwith three sets ofejector mechanisms, it

will heobvious that a greater or less number may he employed.

d n the construction shown in Figs. 8 to 12, inclusive. the shaft is provided with a groove 25 which may extend the entire length thereof to serve as the coin seat. .liotatahly mounted on the shaft 25, directly under the coin chute and package container, is a sleeve 28, one for each pack-- age carrier when the apparatus comprises morethan one such carriers said sleeve provided with the fingers or projections 30, the same asthe sleeve 28, and a slot 3Q to normally register with the groove in theshaft 95, so that when a coin is inserted in the chute it will pass through the sleeve-slot 30' and engage in the groove in the shaft, the

coin noting as a key to lock the sleeve to the shaft, and as the" shaft is rocked by means of its lever 27, the fingers 30 will engage in back of the coin and the coin engage with the lowermost package in the pile to force it from underneath the pile and cut-through the ejector slot. The shaft 25 as already stated, is returned to normal position by the spring 31, and the sleeve 28 is returned by a spring 31, the coin during such neturn movement of the sleeve rubbing or beaming against the lowermost package in the pile and thereby be drawn from its sent in the sleeve-slot and shaft-groove.

The shutter 34 is substantially similar as in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, and pivotally car n'ed hy the package carrier, with the exception that one of the arms is provided with a projection 7(l.- To loch the shutter 34in vosition so that it Will engage in back of the ejector slot 16, which in this case is formed in a plate 16. extending across an opening in the front Wall of the cover, I fix to the sleeve 28 an' arm 73 having a pin 71 to engage in a slot 71 in the shutter arm so constructed that on the initial movement of the sleeve 28 and just prior to the ejectment of the package through the slot 16 the pin is caused to oscillate the shutter by engaging with the forward wall of the slot. Upon the continued rocking of the shaft and sleeve and as the package is being is ejected the pin 'll will maintain the shutter being so 34 away from the ejector slot by engaging with and riding along a cam face on the shutter projection 70. As the shaft and sleeve. are returned by their res 'iective springs. the pin 71 will ride along the cam face 70 until it engages in the slot 71, the shutter closing by gravity.

To lock the shutter in position in back of the ejector slot to prevent tampering with the mechanism front the exterior or the fraudulent removal of thc'paclmgcs, I provide a rocker T9. tulcrumcd upon the inter- -mediate plate 11 by l'icndiug up the ends 82 ol the rocker substantially at right angles and passing such ends through punched holes iniaid intermediate plate 11, the ends 82 having a cut-out portion in which the edge of the punch hole engages to provide a substantially knife-edge bearing. By bending buck the portion which was punched cut of the hole in the intermediate plate ll the ends 8:? of the rocker are prevented from being accidentally withdrawn from the hole, as clearly shown in Fig. 12. The rocker is provided with a pair of forwardly projecting arms 80 the ends of which are bent up to form latches to engage with jogs 81 onthe shutter 3 The rocker is also provided with a linger SOpassing through a slot in the lower end of the coin chute in position in back of the coin. The fingers are so constructed that when a coin is deposited and during the initial movement of the shaft-25 the upper end of the coin will be tilted baclnvard thereby engaging with the finger 80 and throwing the latches 80 out of engagement with the shutter jogs S1.

The lower end of the coin chute 23 is provided with a pair of forwardly projecting resilient or spring lingers 90 to engage the lateral cdgcgof the coin as a forward motion is imparted to the latter and a package is being ejected. The distance between these fingers 90 is less than the Width of the coin, but as the coin is moved for ward by the shaft and sleeve the fingers will spr-ad apart and permit the passage of the coin, springing back to initial position as soon as the coin has passed from between the same. 'hen the coin has passed from between the fingers 90 the package has been ejected to an extent that it protrudes slightly from the ejector: slot 16. Should the package beiwithdrawn and the shaft 25 rocked to return the coin to initial'position to eject another package the coin will .engage with the ends of the fingers 90 and be forced tromits seat in the shaft and sleeve and drop into the bottom of the casing. These fingers 90 are provided to prevent the unloai'ling-ot' all of the packages from a packagefcnrrier by m ans of a single coin, by'givlng the shaft 95 a partial movement,

or until the package slightly protrudes from the ejector} slot whereupon it may be grasped by the fingers and withdrawn, the coin beiifg returned to initial position to eject another package.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of my inventi n.

Having thus (les -bed claim:

1. In a vending machine, the combination my invention, I

with a casing having a carrier for a superposed pile of packages and a coin chute, of a rock-shaft located beneath the coin chute and adjacent the lowermost portion of the. package carrier and an operating lever fixed to the shaft, said shaft having a F groove formed "therein, a sleeve rotatably deposited in the coin chute it engages in the sleeve slot and shaft groove locking the sleeve to the shaft, said fingers backing up said coin and said coin directly engaging with and ejecting the lowermost package from the pile, and means to return the-sleeve and shaft to normal position.

2. In a vending machine, the combination with a casing having a carrier for a super posed pile'of packages and a coin chute, of a rock-shaft located beneath the coin chute and adjacent the lowermost portion of the package carrier, an operating lever fixed to the shaft, said shr it having a groove formed therein, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the shaft and having a slot normally registering with the groove in the shaft, a pair of upwardly extending fingers carried by the sleeve and located upon the rearward side of the slot, the sleeve and shaft. being located in such relation to the lowermost package in the package carrier and the. coin chute that when a coin is deposited in the coin chute it engages in the sleeve slot and shaft groove locking the sleeve to the shat't, said fingers backing up said coin and said coin directly e1 gaging with and ejecting the lowermostpacl age from the pile, means to return the sleeve and shatt'to normal position, and 'means to prevent the return of the shaft and sleeve to initial position until afull forward movement has been imparted thereto, said last named means comprising aslatch pivoted upon the package carrier,

and-having a series of notches. a spring influenced pawlcarried by the sleeve to engage with the latch notches, and means to maintain the latch in engagement with the pawl during the forward movement of the sleeve and shaft and to throw and maintain itout of engagement with the pawl after a full forward movement has been imparted to the shaft. 7

2-). In a vending machine, the combination with a casing having a carrier for a superposed pile of packages and a coin chute, of a rock-shaft located beneath the coin chute and adjacent the lowermost portion of the package carrier, an operating lever fixed to the shaft, said shaft having a groove formed therein,.a sleeve rotatably mounted on the shaft and having a slot normally registering with the' groove in the shaft. a pair of upwardly extending fingers carried by the sleeve and located upon the rearward side of the slot, the sleeve and shaft being located in such relation to the lowermost package in the package carrier and the coin chute that when a coin is deposited in the coin chute it engage in the sleeve slot and shaft groove locking the sleeve to the shaft, said fingers backing up said coin and said coin directly engaging with and ejecting the lowermost package from the pile, means to return the sleeve and shaft; to normal position, and a pair of fingers connected to the coin chute with which the coin engages to unseat said coin as the shaft and sleeve are returned to normal position.

4. ln a vending apparatus, the combination with a container for a superposed pile of packages and a coin chute, of ejector.

mechanism comprising a rock-shaft extending below the. coin chute and having a groove therein: a sleeve rotatably mounted on the shaft having a slot normally lttl'l ltllll, with the groove, in the shaft, the deposited coin engaging in the slot in the sleeve and shaft groove to lock the sleeve to the shaft, said sleeve provided with a pair of lingers to engage in back of the coin: an operating lever connected to the shaft whereby to rock the shaft to impart a forward lTlOVPlXlt'lll to the coin to eject. the lowermost package from the pile; and means to unseat the coin as the ejector mechanism returns to initial position, comprising a pair of resilient fingers connected to the'coin chute to engage with the lateral edges of the coin, said fingers converging inward at the free ends but adapted to spread apart as the coin is moved forward, and. as the coin passes from between said tipgers springing together and preventing the return of the coin to initial position.

EDWARD C. ANGELL. 'itnesses:

B. B. Zirrinrr, R. \V. lrrrnax 

